Muddy mayhem on Splendour's first day

RAIN, hail or shine - all three happened on the first day of Splendour in the Grass.

The 2012 festival had only been opened for a few hours when a passing storm turned Belongil Fields into muddy mayham.

Gum boots were once again the must-have festival fashion as more than 17,000 punters sloshed their way from tent to tent to hear the likes of Jack White, Kimbra, The Shins, Spiderbait, Kate Miller-Heidke, At the Drive-In and DZ Deathrays.

Jack White was the man in black, performing half his closing night set with his all-male backing band and the other half with his all-female band.

He opened his set with Black Math, followed by his latest single Freedom At 21. The crowd went wild for old favourites Seven Nation Army and Hotel Zorba.

Decked out a sparkling silver jacket, New Zealand-born Kimbra told the crowd it was good to be back in her "adopted home" after touring the world.

The Shins played a mostly subdued set including their hits New Slang, Australia and Caring is Creepy.